How many national monuments are in the United States?

This was followed by the formation of the National Park Service in 1916. As of January 2021, there are 130 National Monuments that are managed by various federal agencies. From New York's Statue of Liberty to California's Muir Woods, these monuments are as diverse as they are beautiful.



As of early 2026, there are 138 national monuments in the United States. These protected areas are established either by a presidential proclamation under the Antiquities Act of 1906 or through an act of Congress. Unlike National Parks, which can only be created by Congress, National Monuments allow for the rapid protection of sites with significant historical, cultural, or scientific value. These monuments are managed by a variety of federal agencies: the National Park Service (NPS) oversees the majority (89), but the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also manage significant portions of the system. The list includes iconic sites like the Statue of Liberty and Devils Tower, as well as vast marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean. Because the President has the power to designate new monuments at any time, this number can fluctuate; several new sites have been proposed in 2026 to protect Indigenous heritage and fragile desert ecosystems in the American West.

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Devils Tower was designated as America's first national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

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While the National Park System comprises 423 national park sites, only 63 of them have the National Park designation in their names. The other sites fall into different National Park System categories like National Historic Sites, National Monuments, National Seashores, National Recreation Areas, and others.

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The Statue of Liberty, one of the most universally recognized symbols of freedom across the globe, is intrinsically bound to the fabric of the United States. The huge sculpture stands on an imposing pedestal on Liberty Island at the entrance to New York Harbor.

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The principal qualities considered in studying areas for park purposes are their inspirational, educational, and recreational values. National monuments, on the other hand, are areas reserved by the National Government because they contain objects of historic, prehistoric, or scientific interest.

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Moais – Easter Island, Chile The famous Moai of Easter Island are one of the rarest and most mysterious monuments on the planet. There are around 900 of them in total, making it the largest sculptural art exhibition in Rapa Nui. Interestingly, some of the sculptures form groups and others are isolated.

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The Falls have long been an important site for hydroelectric power and ancillary industries. Together, these elements have contributed to Niagara Falls' importance in the American imagination, as a national landmark, and a symbol of the American conservation movement.

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Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni National Monument in Arizona And on August 8, Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni in Arizona became the newest national monument (and the third to conserve Indigenous history).

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There is much to learn about the smallest unit of the National Park Service. At . 02 acres, the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial tells an expansive story about an international champion of human rights.

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The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was designated as a National Monument in 1924.

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He designated it a national monument in 1908. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson made Grand Canyon a national park to protect the land and the resources within it, managed by the National Park Service. The United Nations declared the park a World Heritage Site in 1979.

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The things that make the US so well-known include food, music, culture, sports, technological innovations, historical personalities, and more.

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Indianapolis has more historic monuments and memorials than any city in the United States (outside of Washington, D.C.).

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There are 22 states without national parks: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.

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